Accuplacer

Student Guide to Accuplacer

A Student Guide has been added to the College Board website. The
guide provides useful information about the content of the ACCUPLACER
tests and sample questions for the Reading comprehension, Sentence Skill,
Arithmetic, and Elementary Algebra tests. Use the link below to access
the Student Guide. (STCC does not use Sentence Skills
or Writeplacer.)

Accuplacer Generated Testing Documentation:

Testing Regulations

Textbooks, notebooks, dictionaries, calculators, or other papers
of any kind are not allowed in the testing room. Further, anyone who
gives or receives help during the test, or uses notes or books of any
kind, will not be allowed to continue the test. Following the test period,
no test materials or notes may be removed from the room. Your college
may cancel any test score if there is reason to question its validity.
Before canceling a score, the college may offer you the opportunity
to take the test again.

Computer Delivered Testing

You will take the tests using a computer. You will communicate with
the computer by using either the keyboard or the mouse to enter your
answers to the tests and to supply other information. The instructions
are easy to understand. Entering information also is very easy. A Test
Administrator will always be present should you have any questions or
problems.

Answering the Questions

Because you take the CPTs on a computer, you don't have to answer
as many questions as on traditional paper-and-pencil tests. The number
of questions on the eight tests ranges from 12 to20. The questions will
appear one at a time on the computer screen. Most questions are multiple-choice
and all you will need to do is use the space bar or mouse to select
your answer. When you have completed the question and verified your
answer, a new screen will appear with your next question.

Adaptive Testing

Each test is designed using adaptive techniques. This means that
the computer automatically determines which questions are presented
to you based on your responses to prior questions. This technique "zeroes-in"
on just the right questions to ask you without being too easy or too
difficult. The greater your demonstrated skill level, the more challenging
will be the questions presented to you.

Each test is untimed so that you can give each question as much thought
as you wish. However, once you have verified your answer, you cannot
return to that question.

Guessing

You should understand that this is an adaptive test. Questions are
chosen for you on the basis of your answers to previous questions. Because
the test works this way, you must answer every question when it is first
given. You cannot omit any question or come back later to change an
answer.

You may change your answer on a particular question, but you must
do so before continuing on to the next question. Once you go on to the
next question, the answer is accepted and you cannot return to the question.

If you do not know an answer to a question, but can eliminate one
or more of the choices, guessing from among the remaining choices.

Descriptions of the Tests

Reading Comprehension

This test is designed to measure how well you understand what you
read. It contains 20 questions. Some ask you to decide how two sentences
are related. Other questions ask you about reading passages of various
lengths. You will be asked to interpret and draw conclusions from what
you have read.

Arithmetic

The Arithmetic test measures your skills in three primary categories.
A total of 16 questions is asked.

1) Operations with whole numbers and fractions:

addition, subtraction, multiplication, division

recognizing equivalent fractions and mixed numbers

2) Operations with decimals and percents:

addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

percent problems, decimal recognition, fraction

percent equivalencies, and estimation problems

3) Applications and problem solving include:

rate, percent, and measurement problems

geometry problems

distribution of a quantity into its fractional parts.

Elementary Algebra

There are also three categories in the Elementary Algebra test.
The test contains a total of 12 questions.